Lithuania's checklist for applicants in India is precise about flights. Item 6 asks for "flight reservations to and from Schengen area", plus intra-Schengen bookings if you visit more than one country.[3] Nothing about payment. But Lithuania also has a habit its neighbours do not advertise: for students, VFS warns that reservations are checked again after the visa is issued.[4] This guide explains both, plus the MIGRIS invitation step, where Gulf and Nepal residents apply, and what happens at Vilnius airport. General Schengen rules are covered in our Schengen visa reservation guide.
Lithuania Schengen visa: the short version
| Point | Official detail |
|---|---|
| Indian passport | Visa required for short stays; Schengen type C, up to 90 days in 180.[1] |
| Handled by | Embassy of Lithuania in New Delhi; files collected by VFS Global.[3][4] |
| Application form | Online Schengen form on Lithuania's e-application site, signed.[3] |
| Flight wording | "Proof of intended means of transport and itinerary: flight reservations to and from Schengen area."[3] |
| Purpose documents | A MIGRIS invitation number, or documents confirming the purpose and conditions of the visit (hotel booking, tour itinerary).[3] |
| Fee | €90 adults (12 and over), €45 children 6–12.[3] |
| Processing (India) | 15 calendar days from arrival at the embassy, sometimes up to 30; satellite centres add 2–3 days in transit.[4] |
| Insurance | At least €30,000 from an approved Indian insurer, valid in all Schengen countries.[3] |
Who needs a Lithuanian visa?
Indian citizens need one for any visit, including a weekend in Vilnius. India is on the EU's visa-required list, which Lithuania applies like every Schengen state.[1] Holders of Indian diplomatic passports are an exception under a bilateral agreement, as the VFS checklist notes, but ordinary passports are not.[3] Non-Indian nationals living in India can also apply through the New Delhi embassy if they show their Indian residence permit.[3]
Apply to Lithuania when it is the main destination of the trip, meaning the most nights, or your first Schengen entry if nights are tied. Lithuania's VFS page for the UAE states the same rule in plain words.[6] For a combined Baltic trip, count nights carefully; see our guide to choosing the right consulate.
Where do residents of India, Nepal and the Gulf apply?
Lithuania keeps it simpler than most. Its embassies cover a wide area, and VFS runs the counters:
| You are applying from | Where the file goes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| India | VFS Global centres, decided by the Embassy of Lithuania in New Delhi[4] | Allow 2–3 extra days from satellite centres |
| Nepal | VFS Global in Nepal; visa fee paid by demand draft to the Embassy of Lithuania in New Delhi[5] | VFS charge NPR 5,654 including VAT |
| United Arab Emirates | VFS Global, decided by the Lithuanian Embassy in Abu Dhabi[6] | Fee AED 384; interviews in person if requested |
| Oman, Kuwait, Qatar | Lithuania's foreign ministry announced Spain would represent it in these countries and the UAE[7] | We could not confirm the current arrangement; check with Spain's mission or the Lithuanian Embassy in Abu Dhabi |
The Gulf row needs a word of honesty. The Spanish arrangement was published by Lithuania's ministry, but Lithuania now has its own embassy in Abu Dhabi with VFS intake, and we could not find a current official list for the other Gulf states. If you live in Muscat or Kuwait City, ask before booking a slot. Our local pages for Abu Dhabi, Kuwait City and Muscat cover the local side.
What is the MIGRIS invitation, and do tourists need one?
MIGRIS is Lithuania's electronic migration system. Item 4 of the India checklist asks for either the number of a MIGRIS invitation submitted by your host, or documents confirming the purpose and conditions of the visit, such as hotel bookings or a tour itinerary.[3] So a tourist staying in hotels does not need an invitation. Someone staying with a friend or relative does: the checklist says private accommodation "has to be mentioned in MIGRIS invitation letter".[3]
Business visitors need a MIGRIS invitation from the inviting company plus a letter from their own employer, both confirming identity, purpose, and the period and place of stay.[3] If your host is filing a MIGRIS invitation, make sure the dates in it match your flight reservation to the day.
What Lithuania says about flights, word for word
The April 2024 checklist for India says: "Proof of intended means of transport and itinerary: flight reservations to and from Schengen area." It then asks travellers crossing into other Schengen states for a flight inside Schengen, a train plan or a car-hire booking.[3] Item 8 adds a cover letter "explaining the purpose of visit" and the "entire travel plan (itinerary)".
The key words are "reservations" and "to and from". You need a booking in, a booking out, and the bits in between if you cross borders. A genuine hold, under a PNR carrying your name, does that job. Annex II of the Visa Code follows the same logic: among signs that you will leave, it includes the words "reservation of or return or round ticket".[2]
Why Lithuanian student files are different
VFS's Lithuania page for India carries guidance for student applicants that is unusually blunt. It says air ticket reservation itineraries must show "the details of the traveler, flight details, confirmation number", that "Cancelled air ticket reservations are considered invalid", and that reservations "will regularly be checked even after issuing visa", with possible visa cancellation if they are found cancelled.[4]
That guidance sits under the student section, which covers long-stay national visas, not tourist visas. But it tells you how the mission thinks. A held reservation is temporary by design. Ours last for up to 2 weeks at most, and the precise window is set by the airline. For a student visa where reservations may be rechecked months later, that is not a good match. Our honest advice for students: buy a refundable or flexible ticket for the date you will actually travel, and keep it.
For tourists: the tourist checklist asks for reservations, and nothing in it says they will be rechecked after issue. Still, only book what you intend to fly, and pay for the seat you will use once the visa is in your passport.
Reservation for a Lithuania tourist visa
Live PNR, checkable on the airline's "Manage booking". From ₹699 or $9 per person; most arrive in roughly 10 minutes.
Which flight document suits which Lithuanian visa?
| Visa purpose | Relevant wording | Our suggestion |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism (C) | "flight reservations to and from Schengen area"[3] | A verifiable held reservation fits |
| Business trip (C) | Same transport item, plus MIGRIS invitation[3] | Held reservation, dates matching the invitation |
| Visiting family or friends (C) | Same transport item; MIGRIS invitation for private stays[3] | Held reservation, dates matching the invitation |
| Study (national D visa) | Cancelled reservations invalid; may be checked after issue[4] | A paid, flexible ticket you will use |
| Family member of an EU citizen | "transport reservations" for the common journey[3] | Reservation showing you travel together |
Building the itinerary: a Vilnius example
Your reservation should begin in your home city and show the Schengen entry and exit. It need not use Vilnius Airport. Say you plan seven nights in Lithuania (Vilnius and Kaunas) and two in Riga, travelling 15 to 24 October. One clean way to lay it out:
- Delhi to Vilnius on 15 October, via a hub (flight reservation).
- Vilnius to Riga on 22 October by bus or train (booking or itinerary).
- Riga to Delhi on 24 October (flight reservation).
Lithuania has seven of the nine nights, so its embassy decides. That is an illustration, not a recommended route. On a multi-city booking, we price per pair of legs.
For Latvian legs, note that Latvia's own embassy wants paid tickets from Indian tourists; that matters only if Latvia becomes your main destination. Compare in our Latvia guide and Estonia guide.
From booking to biometrics: the order we'd follow
- Decide whether you need a MIGRIS invitation, and ask your host to file it early.
- Fill in the online Schengen form on Lithuania's application site.
- Book the VFS slot inside the window the rules allow: up to six months ahead, but at least 15 days before departure.[1]
- Buy insurance from an approved Indian insurer, covering arrival and departure days.[3]
- Book hotels for every night.
- Reserve the flights 24 to 48 hours ahead of the appointment.
- Look up the PNR on the airline's website with the surname, as shown in our verification guide.
- Write the cover letter with the full itinerary and attend VFS.
Check-in, the Vilnius border and the Entry/Exit System
When you fly, you need a real ticket; a reservation cannot be used to board. The airline checks your visa against your route at check-in, since carriers bringing passengers into the Schengen area must verify their entry documents.[10]
On arrival, Lithuanian border guards apply the Schengen Borders Code: they can ask what the trip is for, where you are staying, and whether you have the means to support yourself and get home.[9] Your entry is logged in the Entry/Exit System, operating since 12 October 2025 and fully in force since 10 April 2026, which records fingerprints, a facial image and crossing dates in place of stamps.[8] Lithuania also has an external land border, so if you plan to leave overland, check which crossings are open before you go.
A cover letter that agrees with your reservation
Item 8 of the checklist asks for a signed letter that explains the purpose of the visit and gives the "entire travel plan (itinerary)".[3] That is your chance to make the reservation easy to read. Name the airline, the dates and the booking reference, list each city with its nights, and say how you move between them. Call the document a "flight reservation" and leave it there.
An example paragraph, using the illustrative trip above:
"From 15 to 24 October I will visit Lithuania for tourism, spending five nights in Vilnius and two in Kaunas, then two nights in Riga. My flight reservation shows Delhi to Vilnius on 15 October and Riga to Delhi on 24 October. I will travel from Vilnius to Riga by bus on 22 October."
If a MIGRIS invitation is part of the file, copy its dates exactly. Hosts sometimes enter a round range such as "1 to 31 October" for convenience; if your flights say 15 to 24 October, mention both in the letter so the officer sees why they differ.
Spouse or child of an EU citizen?
Family members travelling with or joining an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen follow a lighter list. The India checklist says travel medical insurance is not obligatory for them, and asks for proof of the common journey through "transport reservations", along with proof of the family tie and the EU citizen's nationality.[3] A reservation showing you and your EU family member on the same flights is the natural fit here.
Cost and how to order
Charged per traveller, the same for one-way and return trips. You pay through Razorpay (UPI, cards or netbanking), receive the reservation by email in about 10 minutes, and can track the order at our tracking page. Details: dummy ticket price, how a flight reservation for a visa works, and onward ticket for other trips. For hotel proof, see hotel bookings; the full country table is at requirements by country. Or go back to the home page.
Remember what you are buying: a reservation that records a plan. Paying for a seat comes later, and the visa decision stays with the embassy.
Lithuania visa reservation FAQ
Does Lithuania's embassy in India accept flight reservations?
For tourist, business and family visits, the April 2024 checklist asks for "flight reservations to and from Schengen area", with no mention of payment. A genuine booking held under a live PNR, issued to you, sits comfortably with that wording. The embassy can still request more, and it alone decides whether to issue the visa.
Do I need a MIGRIS invitation as a tourist?
Not if you stay in hotels. The checklist accepts either a MIGRIS invitation number or documents confirming the purpose and conditions of your visit, such as hotel bookings or a tour itinerary. If you will stay with friends or family, the private accommodation has to be mentioned in a MIGRIS invitation filed by your host.
Why shouldn't students use a held reservation?
VFS's guidance for Lithuanian student applicants says cancelled reservations are invalid and that reservations may be checked even after the visa is issued. A held reservation is temporary by nature; ours hold for a maximum of 2 weeks, depending on the airline. Students should buy a flexible ticket they will actually use.
How long does a Lithuanian visa take from India?
VFS says applications are processed within 15 calendar days of arriving at the embassy's visa section, sometimes extended to 30. Files lodged at centres outside New Delhi may need 2 to 3 extra days in transit. Apply at least 15 days before travel, and earlier in busy summer months.
I live in Dubai. Where do I apply for Lithuania?
VFS Global takes Lithuanian applications in the UAE, and the decision is made by the Lithuanian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, which may invite you to an interview in person. The visa fee there is AED 384 for adults. Check the VFS page for current documents before your appointment.
Can my reservation fly into Riga for a Lithuania trip?
Yes, if that is your real route. The reservation shows your Schengen entry and exit, wherever they are. Add the Riga to Vilnius bus, train or flight so the itinerary connects, and keep Lithuania as the country with the most nights so its embassy remains the correct one.
What insurance does Lithuania require?
Travel medical insurance from an insurer on the approved Indian list, valid in all Schengen countries, with at least €30,000 of cover for accident, illness and medical evacuation. It must cover the whole trip including the arrival and departure dates. Multi-entry applicants need cover for the first trip.
Sources
All sources last checked: October 2026.
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs, Applying for a Schengen visa.
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (Visa Code), consolidated text: Articles 5 and 32, Annex II.
- Embassy of Lithuania in New Delhi via VFS Global, Checklist for documents to be submitted by Schengen visa applicants in India (PDF, rev. April 2024).
- VFS Global for Lithuania in India, Visa information, including student applicant guidelines.
- VFS Global for Lithuania in Nepal, Apply for a visa to Lithuania in Nepal.
- VFS Global for Lithuania in the UAE, Apply for a visa to Lithuania in the UAE.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Bilateral agreement between Lithuania and Spain on representation in issuing Schengen visas.
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs, The Entry/Exit System will become fully operational on 10 April 2026.
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2016/399 (Schengen Borders Code), Article 6: entry conditions.
- EUR-Lex, Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement, Article 26: obligations of carriers.
Related: flight reservation for visa · dummy ticket price · requirements by country · how to verify a PNR.